I was only sent parts II and IV of Tedeschi Trucks Band four album I Am The Moon song cycle and as this is well past release date I am reviewing the two albums together. Tedeschi Trucks are the brainchild and collaborative big band led by Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks who have built a reputation as one of the best live bands around according to more than one of their fans I know. Personally, I am only familiar with the songs I've heard on the radio but was more than happy to hear just how well played and produced these two cd's are.
These two albums are half of the four-album song cycle the band produced during the Covid lockdowns that forced them off the road, loosely inspired and based on Nizami Gunjavi's legendary 12th century epic poem Layla & Majnum. The albums were recorded at Swamp Raga Derek's home studio in Jacksonville Florida with Bobby Tis Engineering and mixing the albums.
The Ascension begins with Playing With My Emotions a beautifully produced widescreen blues love song with Susan Tedeschi's vocals wringing out all the pain of love gone wrong, set against a brass section and eventually a monumental guitar solo and some swooning backing vocals.
Ain't that Something has Gabe Dixon sharing the vocals with Susan as this slow bluesy love song unfolds around the brass section, with an insistent organ part, the instrumental parts are as you may expect quite something, easily living up to the bands reputation as one of the best blues rock bands around.
All The Love is a long slow song that has plenty of pleading for All The Love to live for now as the brass section rises, Susan entices you to give in to her supplications, to allow the love in and banish the hatred. The central acoustic guitar solo has a distinctly Spanish flavor to it.
So Long Savior has an old school gospel blues shouter feel to it, as it picks up pace you really need to start testifying and raising the roof along with the backing choir.
Rainy Day is accompanied by today's stormy weather as this song that isn't about persuading the members of Rainy Day to finally allow that masterpiece to be re-issued as that won't ever happen, so instead enjoy this storm battered tune.
La Di Da is a fond farewell to some of those we have lost in recent times, with doleful downbeat brass as they try to look forward to a brighter day ahead as they mourn all they've lost.
The Ascension is completed by Hold That Line that has a tentative intro as the guitar slowly explores the landscape created by the long tones underneath, so that Susan can find the strength to hold on and not let go, easier said than done in recent years.
I Am The Moon: IV Farewell opens with the swelling brass of Last Night In The Rain is in part a celebration of the good the Rain does, which in these times of devastating floods can at times be hard to comprehend, as Susan lets us know what happened Last Night In The Rain as the super sophisticated backing accentuates every line almost perfectly, after they lost everything in that storm.
Soul Sweet Song has an easy-going gospel blues sound that swells as they make there way through that pouring rain, here's hoping no more levees or dam's break.
D'Gary is a somber song for someone who lost the fight, despite still having plenty to live for. So hold on tight to the ones you love and hope you never have to let them go.
Where Are My Friends? Has Mike Mattinson asking what happened to all his mates, where have they gone as everyone has hunkered down, some of them lost the fight against the microscopic enemy, this has a wonderfully elegiac feel to it.
I Can Feel You Smiling is a gentle country blues reminisce for the memories of those golden glances that make you all warm inside.
The Ascension concludes with the magisterial Another Day a supplication for being thankful for another day on earth.
Find out more at https://fantasyrecordings.com/releases/i-am-the-moon-ii-ascension/ https://fantasyrecordings.com/releases/i-am-the-moon-iv-farewell/ https://www.facebook.com/DerekAndSusan https://tedeschitrucksband.bandcamp.com/album/i-am-the-moon-ii-ascension
